[HorrorScience] Heretic: The horror film that promises and disappoints

Picture this: Two young Mormon missionaries, all smiles and good intentions, knock on the wrong door on a stormy night. Who opens them? None other than Hugh Grant, but not the charming Hugh Grant of romantic comedies, but a twisted and sinister version playing the enigmatic Mr. Reed. This is how "Heretic" begins, another psychological horror bet from A24 that premiered at the end of this year that just passed.

The premise is simple but intriguing. Sister Barnes (Sophie Thatcher) and Sister Paxton (Chloe East) find themselves trapped in the house of Mr. Reed, a man who turns out to be much more dangerous than he appears at first glance. What follows is a game of cat and mouse that unfolds over the course of an endless night, where the young women are forced to question and defend their faith against an adversary who seems to have all the cards in his hand.

Sounds promising, right? And it is… at least for the first half of the movie. Directors Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, known for their work on the saga «A quiet place«, they present us with a captivating beginning. The tension builds slowly, like a balloon that slowly inflates, threatening to burst at any moment.

The first act of "Heretic" is a feast for lovers of psychological horror films. The camera moves cautiously through the hallways of Mr. Reed's house, a location that becomes another character in the story. The games of light and shadow, accompanied by the omnipresent sound of the storm outside and the disturbing ticking of a clock, create an atmosphere of unease that maintains interest.

But what really shines in this first part is the dialogue. Beck and Woods demonstrate their ability to write conversations that are both natural and fraught with tension. Mr. Reed, played masterfully by Hugh Grant, commands every scene with his presence. His monologues are fascinating, mixing British charm with a veiled threat that makes you constantly wonder what his true intentions are.

Grant deserves a separate paragraph. His portrayal of Mr. Reed is, without a doubt, one of the highlights of "Heretic." The leading man of «Notting Hill" either "Love Actually«. Here, Grant transforms into an equal parts charismatic and terrifying villain. His ability to go from the most exquisite cordiality to the most subtle threat in a matter of seconds is simply masterful. It's the kind of performance that makes you wonder why we haven't seen him more often in roles of this type.

Mr. Reed's play with the young missionaries is fascinating to watch. He uses his charm and intelligence to challenge their beliefs, raising uncomfortable questions about faith and religion. It is in these moments where "Heretic" shines the most, becoming a meditation on deep themes such as free will, happiness and control.

The directors take advantage of these dialogues to plant small details that enrich the narrative. For example, when Mr. Reed quotes the famous line "With great power comes great responsibility," Sister Paxton immediately associates it with Spider-Man, only to be corrected by Reed, who informs her that he is actually quoting Voltaire. These moments not only add a touch of dark humor to the film, but also serve to illustrate how ideas and beliefs can distort and transform over time.

However, this is where "Heretic's" problems begin. What begins as an intelligent and nuanced psychological thriller slowly begins to go off the rails. As the night progresses, Mr. Reed's monologues become more aggressive, his methods more dangerous, and his intentions more bizarre. Subtlety gives way to exaggeration, and what was once disturbing now becomes almost cartoonish.

It's as if the directors, afraid that the audience might get bored with so much dialogue, decided to inject a dose of adrenaline into the plot. The result is a second half of the film that seems to belong to a completely different genre. Suddenly, we find ourselves in the middle of scenes of chase and violence that, while well executed from a technical point of view, are completely out of step with the tone established in the first half.

This abrupt transition causes "Heretic" to lose much of its initial charm. What began as a clever exploration of faith and doubt turns into a more conventional horror thriller. It's as if the film lost faith in its own premise and decided to resort to more hackneyed tricks to keep the viewer's attention.

The film's climax is particularly disappointing. Having built up so much tension and anticipation, Beck and Woods opt for an ending that feels rushed and unsatisfying. Without going into details to avoid spoilers, I will say that the resolution of the plot ends up being expected and even trite. It's the kind of ending that makes you wonder if the writers ran out of ideas or if they just didn't know how to tie up all the loose ends they left throughout the story and opted for a simple ending.

It's a shame, because "Heretic" had the potential to be much more. The themes it explores in its first half are fascinating and relevant. The idea of ​​testing the faith of two young missionaries by pitting them against an intellectually superior adversary is intriguing. But instead of delving into these ideas, the film opts for the easy route of scares and action.

It's not all bad, of course. Even in its weakest moments, "Heretic" remains a technically competent film. The cinematography is very good, making the most of the unique setting of Mr. Reed's house. The games of light and shadow create an oppressive atmosphere that perfectly complements the feeling of claustrophobia that the protagonists experience.

And, of course, there are the performances. I've already mentioned how brilliant Hugh Grant is, but Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East also deserve praise for their portrayals of the Barnes and Paxton sisters respectively. They manage to convey the innocence and devotion of their characters, as well as their growing terror and doubt as the night progresses. Their on-screen chemistry is palpable, and they make you genuinely care about the fate of their characters.

Ultimately, "Heretic" is a frustrating film. It shows flashes of brilliance that make you wish it had been better as a whole. It is like a sermon that begins with promises of revelation and ends in platitudes. It leaves you feeling like you were on the verge of experiencing something truly special, only for it to slip through your fingers at the last moment.

Is it worth seeing? It depends on your expectations. If you're a fan of psychological horror films and are willing to forgive a disappointing ending for the sake of an intriguing first half, then yes, give it a try. Additionally, the conversations the film generates about faith, doubt, and the nature of belief are fascinating and could lead to interesting reflections long after the credits roll.

However, if you're looking for a coherent horror experience from start to finish, or if you're hoping for a satisfying resolution to all of the mysteries the film raises, you may be disappointed. "Heretic" is the kind of movie that promises a lot but delivers little, leaving you feeling like it could have been so much more than it is.

In the end, "Heretic" remains in no man's land. It's not smart enough to satisfy arthouse film lovers, nor scary enough to please fans of more visceral horror. It's a film that, like its protagonists, seems to lose faith in itself halfway through.

Perhaps the greatest irony is that a film titled "Heretic" ends up being so conventional in its outcome. Instead of challenging the genre's conventions, as it promises in its first half, it ends up embracing them, becoming the kind of film it initially seemed to want to subvert.

Some curiosities about Heretic

• Hugh Grant once said in an interview: "I'm getting bored of playing obvious roles and being typecast." Writer-directors Scott Beck and Bryan Woods saw this interview and wrote the role of Mr. Reed, with Hugh being their first choice for the role.
• Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East were raised Mormons, so they were able to provide valuable information about the religion when making the film. They are no longer Mormons.
• The end credits music is performed by Sophie Thatcher (who played Sister Barnes in the film) and is a cover of the 1973 version of "Knocking on Heavens Door" to the tune of Mazzy Star's "Fade into You." A nod to the fact that Radiohead's "Creep" is a 1992 reiteration (due to the melody) of the previously mentioned 1974 song "The Air That I Breathe" by The Hollies by Grant in the film. That song is actuallyalsoa reiteration, which comes from Albert Hammond's 1972 song of the same name, reinforcing the theory that they are all different versions of the same original material.
• Reed claims that Horus was crucified, rose from the dead, and had twelve followers, stating that all savior myths have common threads. However, none of these claims are true. Crucifixion was a Roman method of execution dating back several centuries after the Pharaonic era. Horus is also not executed in any myth associated with him: as god of the heavens, he dies naturally at dusk every day when the sky darkens and is then resurrected at dawn. The number of Horus's acolytes also fluctuated greatly depending on the region of Egypt where his cult was worshiped, with stories assigning importance to numbers ranging from four to sixteen. Ironically, despite Mr. Reed's attempts to convince the Barnes sisters and Paxton of how wrong their beliefs are, some of his own arguments against religion are also based on incorrect assumptions.